How long does it take to get your first check from Washington ESD unemployment?

It usually takes about 2-3 weeks for your first payment if everything goes smoothly. The first week is your waiting week (unpaid), then if your claim is approved without any issues, you should see your first payment after filing your second weekly claim. Make sure you're filing your weekly claims every week even while it's pending!

mine took almost 4 weeks because they had to verify my identity. kept getting emails asking for more documents. if you uploaded everything correctly the first time it should be faster

If you're having trouble getting through to Washington ESD to check on your claim status, I recently discovered Claimyr (claimyr.com). They help you get through to an actual agent instead of waiting on hold for hours. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/7DieNd3C7zQ that shows how it works. Really helped me when my claim was stuck in adjudication.

The whole system is a nightmare. I've been waiting 5 weeks now and still nothing. Every time I call I get disconnected or they tell me to wait longer. Meanwhile bills are piling up and I'm about to lose my apartment. Washington ESD doesn't care about actual people!

Make sure you're filing your weekly claims even if your initial claim is still pending! I made the mistake of not filing for 2 weeks because I thought I had to wait for approval first. Lost those weeks of benefits.

For first-time claimants, here's the typical timeline: Week 1 - File initial claim, Week 2 - File first weekly claim (this is your waiting week, unpaid), Week 3 - File second weekly claim, payment usually comes 2-3 days after this if approved. So you're looking at roughly 2.5-3 weeks total for first payment.

depends on a lot of factors tbh. some people get it in 2 weeks others wait months. washington esd is pretty backed up still

I got my first payment exactly 3 weeks after filing. Make sure you do your job search activities and log them properly or they'll hold up your claim. You need to do at least 3 job search activities per week.

also make sure you didn't quit your job or get fired for misconduct because that can delay things big time while they investigate

The waiting is the worst part. I remember checking my account obsessively every day waiting for that first payment. Just try to stay patient and keep filing your weekly claims on time.

If your claim gets stuck or you need to verify something with Washington ESD, definitely consider using Claimyr. I was spinning my wheels for weeks trying to get through on the phone until someone here recommended it. Game changer for actually reaching an agent.

PRO TIP: Set up direct deposit when you file your claim! Getting a debit card can add extra days to when you can actually access your money.

Washington ESD has gotten better since the pandemic mess but it's still not great. I filed in December and got my first payment in January, so about 3.5 weeks total. The key is making sure you file every single weekly claim on time.

dont forget you have to be actively looking for work and available for work to keep getting benefits. they can audit your job search log anytime

My sister just went through this process and it took exactly 2 weeks and 4 days for her first payment. She was laid off from a restaurant job and had no complications with her claim. Filed on a Tuesday, got paid the following Thursday two weeks later.

The most important thing is to keep filing those weekly claims even if you haven't been approved yet. I cannot stress this enough - people lose weeks of benefits because they think they have to wait for approval first.

I remember when I first filed I was so worried about making a mistake that I called Washington ESD like 20 times trying to get through. Finally found Claimyr through a forum like this and was able to get my questions answered in one call. Wish I had found it sooner!

Another thing - make sure your WorkSource registration is complete and up to date. They require you to be registered with WorkSource WA to receive benefits. Some people overlook this step.

Hang in there! The first claim is always the most stressful because you don't know what to expect. Once you get into the routine of filing weekly claims and doing your job search, it becomes much more manageable. You've got this!